Heralded by the aircraft maker as its airspace footprint into the future, the new Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental shed the traditional blue imprint of the old days and instead opted for a flaming red and orange colour scheme, which the company hopes will bring in more fortune and prosperity as it races against fiercest rival Airbus.

Boeing vice president for commercial airplanes division Pat Shanahan said during the Sunday launch at the company's Everett, Washington manufacturing facilities that the newly-unveiled 747-8 points to its future, calling the aircraft a "marvellous flying machine."

Also, the longer and more fuel-efficient 747-8, according to Boeing president for commercial aviation division Jim Albaugh, should be able to command attention from customer mainly for its "low operating costs and passengers will enjoy the comfort of the striking new interior."

Boeing said that by adapting the new colour, the company bestows appreciation to its numerous Asian clients, while maintaining its humped shape and upgrading its capacity to accommodate more passengers and cargoes.

Mainly engineered to service long-haul flights, the new 747-8 is set to fly with a maximum passenger numbers of 467 as against to Airbus A380's offerings of up to 525 passenger seats though according to Boeing, the plane's cost per seat is lower by six percent than that of the A380.

Boeing said that the new commercial plane utilises significant technological innovations adapted from its delayed 787 Dreamliner, specifically its interior features of "a rounded staircase to the upper deck, higher ceilings and elongated windows," apart from the fuel efficiency marks initially tagged on the Dreamliner.

Even prior to its official launch, Boeing said that the new 747-8 has already secured orders of 74 freight version units and 33 passenger version units, with Lufthansa sealing its 20 units while Korean Air getting its share of 13 units.

Boeing said that the new aircrafts would likely be delivered by the first quarter of 2012, with Lufthansa as the first recipient.